Building Reserve and Using KWH

[J.P.M.]

[QUOTE=bcroe;n389644]I hate to think of what J. P. M. would say about my thermostat settings. /QUOTE]

Why? First and foremost, NOMB.

Besides, some of my cold climate thermostat shenanigans would probably make you shake, or at least scratch, your head. But I learned or confirmed a lot of book learning by doing stuff.

My sense is that you and I are about equally eccentric in residential energy matters but with different emphases. I think my ways of approaching the situation are more useful for more people, and, without being critical, I believe I'm better versed in cost effective ways to kill a utility bill and I think you leave money on the table ion that respect, but I feel that ignoring your experiential knowledge and/or what you write about with respect to the finer points of PV electronics and practical ground mounting is not in my, or others', best interests. I don't agree with you on everything, but I sure take what you write seriously and I believe you are sincere and well meaning.

[bcroe]

I do write down several numbers once a day, but not average temp. Inside temp not uniform and not recorded.
I hate to think of what J. P. M. would say about my thermostat settings. The PoCo is trying to get me to have
an online account with them, auto pay, but I am not playing. Bruce Roe

[azdave]

About all I have is the high temp for each day. Maybe someone recorded degree days.

My POCO updates a 30-day span online report each morning with the last day's activities. It 's a quick reference for graphing Net Energy, Generation and Usage. It also overlays the average temperature for the day. I can also view it by the week or by the year. Pretty handy reference to glance at while eating my bowl of oatmeal each day.

On the Net Energy screen you can certainly pick out a cloudy day instantly.

Webp.net-gifmaker.gif

[J.P.M.]

About all I have is the high temp for each day. Maybe someone recorded degree days. I
can't reference one year ago, because the not yet discovered leak in my well was covering
up the other energy uses. Best guess I have is the internal leak started about Dec, got worse
for weeks till I finally figured it out. For the other years there is a range of usage, but this time
I am under all of them.

Conservation wise, a lot improved 2010 to 2013, but the only notable thing lately is running
a dehumidifier part time. Bruce Roe

Thank you.

Just wondering if you had noticed any correlation between HVAC usage and daily/weekly/monthly (inside-outside) temp. diff., or correlation with other factors such as conservation measures.

BTW, Happy New Year.

J.P.M.

[bcroe]

Do you have any information about the relative temps. or degree-day information for the last 5 Dec.'s vs. Dec. 2018 ? Maybe the weather has something to do with it. Also, any conservation improvements over the last year ?

About all I have is the high temp for each day. Maybe someone recorded degree days. I
can't reference one year ago, because the not yet discovered leak in my well was covering
up the other energy uses. Best guess I have is the internal leak started about Dec, got worse
for weeks till I finally figured it out. For the other years there is a range of usage, but this time
I am under all of them.

Conservation wise, a lot improved 2010 to 2013, but the only notable thing lately is running
a dehumidifier part time. Bruce Roe

[J.P.M.]

Just a 1 Jan note, the mini splits continue to use less (heating) energy than any Dec of the
previous 5 years. Jan and Feb heating will probably be a much more serious test though.
All my propane and resistance electric heat sources remain switched off. Bruce Roe

Do you have any information about the relative temps. or degree-day information for the last 5 Dec.'s vs. Dec. 2018 ? Maybe the weather has something to do with it. Also, any conservation improvements over the last year ?

[SunEagle]

Just a 1 Jan note, the mini splits continue to use less (heating) energy than any Dec of the
previous 5 years. Jan and Feb heating will probably be a much more serious test though.
All my propane and resistance electric heat sources remain switched off. Bruce Roe

Good to hear they have been a success.

[bcroe]

Just a 1 Jan note, the mini splits continue to use less (heating) energy than any Dec of the
previous 5 years. Jan and Feb heating will probably be a much more serious test though.
All my propane and resistance electric heat sources remain switched off. Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

Bruce:

Most likely not a crisis but to me, the need for a dehumidifier in the laundry room may be a red flag. If it's humid in there, it may mean that the venting from the dryer is inadequate. That may mean that necessary (makeup) air to replenish what gets exhausted by the dryer's blower cannot get to the laundry room. Question: Does it take longer to dry a load of wet laundry in the winter than in summer ? Longer or with more moisture buildup than in the summer when things are not as buttoned up may be an indication of inadequate supply air to the dryer blower.

Or, Sometimes folks who have electric resistance heat for the drying don't vent the blower exhaust at all (never a good idea for lots of reasons) and wind up with excess moisture. I put an outside air source on my gas fired dryer when I lived (if you can call it that in the winter) in Buffalo, and opened/closed the damper for dryer operation. Strictly non OSHA compliant because of no fail open measures and probably other things, but it improved (lowered) drying times by using outside air w/usually lower dew points.

Folks in cold(er) climates such as yours or where I came from usually need to add moisture to air in conditioned spaces, not take it out.

Filing in the dehumidifier situation. Summers can make activities uncomfortable here because
the humidity is so high. Remember rain is pretty regular, outside venting will not help. In the
past the AC was rarely run, saving energy. Same for a dehumidifier.

But recently some of the Previous Owners plumbing started multiple leaks, and I finally moved
up a dehumidifier in the clean up process. This fall this new machine (hopefully very efficient)
got moved to the laundry room because that tended to be the most humid, with a permanent
drain. It does have a control, so it only runs as needed, not continuously. I expect it rarely
operates in winter, except when the sun powered drier quits (clouds and snow) and clothes
hang downstairs. A measurement of daily KWH for each month might be interesting to record.

At this time running the (very efficient) AC with its moisture removal is acceptable. It appears
there may be quite an annual energy surplus, so several other things might happen. One is
letting the humidifier take care of the laundry area (which includes the electronics shop).
Another is using a big mini split to limit more comfortable temps and humidity in the car shop.
Or maybe one of the new ventless clothes driers. Water heating? Bruce Roe

[J.P.M.]

Got the electric bill. It was a near record setting cold Nov, some temps into single digits, but
the 3 mini splits had no trouble keeping the house warm. Snowfall many times normal as well.

In fact it appears KWH consumption was down to only 81% of my warmest previous year,
before the minis. That despite I am now allowing myself the luxury of a dehumidifier in the
laundry room, should check its use. Total about 54 KWH a day. Despite terrible clouds,
managed to offset that with 40 KWH daily generation. Bruce Roe

Bruce:

Most likely not a crisis but to me, the need for a dehumidifier in the laundry room may be a red flag. If it's humid in there, it may mean that the venting from the dryer is inadequate. That may mean that necessary (makeup) air to replenish what gets exhausted by the dryer's blower cannot get to the laundry room. Question: Does it take longer to dry a load of wet laundry in the winter than in summer ? Longer or with more moisture buildup than in the summer when things are not as buttoned up may be an indication of inadequate supply air to the dryer blower. Sometimes folks forget that all the air that leaves a space (in this case, your laundry room via the dryer blower) must originate from someplace outside the space. This sometimes happens when folks go on a house tightening rampage and forget that every drain (in this case the dryer exhaust which drains the air from the laundry room) needs a vent, be it a cracked door, window, or other intentional vent. The necessary makeup air will come from someplace or, in the limit, the flow will be reduced or (unlikely but possible) deadheaded all together.

Or, Sometimes folks who have electric resistance heat for the drying don't vent the blower exhaust at all (never a good idea for lots of reasons) and wind up with excess moisture. I put an outside air source on my gas fired dryer when I lived (if you can call it that in the winter) in Buffalo, and opened/closed the damper for dryer operation. Strictly non OSHA compliant because of no fail open measures and probably other things, but it improved (lowered) drying times by using outside air w/usually lower dew points.

Folks in cold(er) climates such as yours or where I came from usually need to add moisture to air in conditioned spaces, not take it out.

Long subject about indoor air quality and energy conservation.

Respectfully,

[Mike90250]

Got the electric bill. It was a near record setting cold Nov, some temps into single digits, but
the 3 mini splits had no trouble keeping the house warm. Snowfall many times normal as well.

In fact it appears KWH consumption was down to only 81% of my warmest previous year,
before the minis. That despite I am now allowing myself the luxury of a dehumidifier in the
laundry room, should check its use. Total about 54 KWH a day. Despite terrible clouds,
managed to offset that with 40 KWH daily generation. Bruce Roe

That is so totally awesome !!

[bcroe]

Got the electric bill. It was a near record setting cold Nov, some temps into single digits, but
the 3 mini splits had no trouble keeping the house warm. Snowfall many times normal as well.

In fact it appears KWH consumption was down to only 81% of my warmest previous year,
before the minis. That despite I am now allowing myself the luxury of a dehumidifier in the
laundry room, should check its use. Total about 54 KWH a day. Despite terrible clouds,
managed to offset that with 40 KWH daily generation. Bruce Roe

[SunEagle]

Half way through Nov, average temps in the 20s, and the mini splits continue to use rather
minimal KWHs. The energy reserve from summer is still unused, new solar energy collection
is keeping up with use. Perhaps a small issue is getting uniform heat throughout a ranch
style house. But with the relaxing areas kept cozy, perhaps it should be considered an
advantage that some walk through or working areas are several degrees cooler. I could
fix it by running the blower, but would rather not. Bruce Roe

Good to hear your hard work has paid for itself. Stay warm my friend.

[bcroe]

Half way through Nov, average temps in the 20s, and the mini splits continue to use rather
minimal KWHs. The energy reserve from summer is still unused, new solar energy collection
is keeping up with use. Perhaps a small issue is getting uniform heat throughout a ranch
style house. But with the relaxing areas kept cozy, perhaps it should be considered an
advantage that some walk through or working areas are several degrees cooler. I could
fix it by running the blower, but would rather not. Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

The cold season has arrived, and the 3 heat pumps are keeping the house toasty. My reserve
energy meter is showing about 30 KWH a day consumption with 40s F average. The array can
still make that much if there is any hint of sunlight. A very dark week has dropped reserve
half a hundred, but I am still hopeful of getting that back in the next week, before serious winter
begins. The KWH reserve curve will probably take a new shape this winter. Bruce Roe